Fridge issue

Phil57 · 07-01-2015, 10:35 AM

I am reposting this in Berkshire page to see if anyone has any advice.
I have just about given up on the Dometic refrigerator we have in our 2011 Berkshire. We have had it for 3 years and we full time. The fridge is a 4 door sorry I don't have the model number. The fridge is also in a slide so we have two fans moving air across the coils. The fridge has never worked great but was ok. It seems like lately because we full time it is struggling to keep temps below 40. We have one fan inside the fridge and plan to add a second one. I also bought a dorm size fridge to keep all water and beer in that we keep outside.

All that said have I missed a quick fix?

We have decided that we must do something before we both die from food poison. Throwing away two beautiful steaks tonight was the last straw. so as I see it I can tear this out and put in a residential fridge but it would take a lot of wood work and adding a larger inverter. The cost goes up very fast doing all that. I also have talked to a few folks that have done the Amish mod on there existing fridge. As far as I can tell option 1 replacing the fridge would cost around 4000$.

Option 2 doing the Amish mod runs around 1700$. I'm looking for input into what is the best way and what if any other options are available?

NO3putt · 07-01-2015, 12:41 PM

Phil, since you full time and at one place a long time would consider a residental model as replacement. Might be less expensive also.

How are you and Dianna doing up in MI? we just got back from a 6 week trip up to MN and will be heading out 1st of Aug for 3 months. Cheryl has already told me when ours goes out we are replacing our with a residental model.

Skip

NO3putt · 07-01-2015, 03:17 PM

Phil,
Can you find a residental one that is the same size as the one you have so you don't have to re do the cabinets. We found a samsung that is the same size as our dometic, just waiting for ours fail.

Toddupton · 07-01-2015, 03:24 PM

The first thing I would do is replace the element. It might not be getting to the correct temperature. Does it work better on gas?

I-RV · 07-01-2015, 04:30 PM

Phil, I have a 2012 with the 12 cu ft Dometic. I, myself wouldn't put any money into the Dometic. I been studying the various post about retrofitting to a residential refrigerator and definitely will be considering it myself. Besides the inverter not being robust enough, you will find out that there is no inverter power for your Dometic. Therefore, a line needs to be run.

tmmar · 07-01-2015, 05:15 PM

If I remember from my '08, isn't there an outlet in the refrigerator compartment? It was on the left side up a little way. If the refrigerator runs on gas and electric, there needs to be an electric supply for the refrigerator.

Phil, you should take a look at yours and see if I am right.

Phil57 · 07-01-2015, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toddupton

The first thing I would do is replace the element. It might not be getting to the correct temperature. Does it work better on gas?

I works the same on gas or electric. It weird because it's not outside temperature sensitive. We will go a couple of weeks and it seems fine
Then it's up to 40 again. The freezer isn't staying cold. Ice cream is not possible. The problem is the fridge is in a slide. Anyone replace theirs that was in a slide?

Phil57 · 07-01-2015, 06:12 PM

Tom there is a outlet that I always assumed was 110v but have not checked it. I'll put a meter on it

Phil57 · 07-01-2015, 06:13 PM

Hank you are right I don't think that outlet runs off the inverter. I'll do some digging to see.

Mmnsc · 07-02-2015, 08:00 AM

Hi Phil
Hope you and Diana are doing well. The first year we had the MH with the Dometic refrig we had the same problem you described. When we went to Goshen that year we had the refrigerator incident the rep came to the camper while the refrig was out of the wall unit. He took the burner nozzle out and said tge "jewel" was bad and changed it. He also cleaned the heat chamber. Since then (and i don't want to jinx myself) the refrig has worked well the temp ranges between 33 and 38f which is acceptable. We have a guage inside plus i us tge infra red gun to check the inside stuff. If you can hold out maybe you should confront the Dometic guy at the rally and see what they can do. It would be cheaper and less aggravating than trying to get a residential unit in JMHO
Marty

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Phil57 · 07-02-2015, 08:27 AM

Marty that's a good idea. I'll wait and have them look at it first. I sure wish someone could give be a review on the Amish mod. It's expensive but cheaper than a residential.

Mmnsc · 07-02-2015, 08:41 AM

What is involved with the Amish mod. I am not familiar with that.

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Phil57 · 07-02-2015, 08:45 AM

From what I understand they replace all the coils and burner everything is new except the box. It's supposed to work better and still have the two fuel advantage.

Mmnsc · 07-02-2015, 10:01 AM

Sounds interesting. Would assume they still use the ammonia evaporation method. I wonder what is different from the Dometic set up

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EJM4 · 07-12-2015, 07:21 PM

We were in Florida the past two weeks and running the fridge on electric would keep the fridge cool during the evening, but it would warm a little. We switched parks after the first week and the with the generator running and the fridge on electric, it would warm to 38 - 40 degrees while traveling.

We headed back to PA today and I switched the fridge to gas for the trip home and it kept at a steady 38 while it should be at 34.

Not sure what the deal is, almost feel as if we should take the plunge and install the residential fridge. All the coaches come this way...

silver · 07-12-2015, 09:49 PM

You said you had two fans. Are they ones you added or the ones that came with the frig install? Ventilation for slide mount frigs is bad as the vent is on the side and not top. I would add fans right at the upper vent cover to pull the heat out from the back of the frig. If you have not done this you will find it will make a big difference. Add a thermal switch to the burner coil to control the fan on.off. It has allowed me to run my frig at half its setting.

Phil57 · 07-12-2015, 09:55 PM

Silver
Thanks for the feedback. The two fans are original. I believe they are just above the burner But I don't remember. Maybe I will add a fan to see how it works.

silver · 07-13-2015, 08:04 AM

If you go that way here is the link to the thermal switch. Choose the 45 degree C option

5pcs KSD301 Thermostat Normal Open NO Temperature Thermal Temp Control Switch

I would put two 6 inch computer fans and build a en-closer duct around them with foam board from the dollar store to ensure that all the air from the fans is forced out the top vent.

TxBgWood · 07-13-2015, 11:42 AM

I hope this will help anybody experiencing this. We headed out 4 hrs. from home. Got set up at Mother Neff State Park. All was good, but our Dometic Fridge in our brand new Rockwood would not come on. We called the park office, but no luck. We called several mobile techs, but no luck. We finally packed up and started the long drive home. This morning we called a Dometic Mobile Tech. He told us on the phone that it sounded like " Dirty Power ". He said to disconnect the negative from the battery, and any shore power and wait 5 minutes before reconnecting. We did this, and everything was good. In the meantime, I have ordered a better Surge Guard to let us know there is " Dirty Power ".

Hallen01 · 07-22-2015, 12:43 PM

Marty,

We aren't quite as far along on the Dometic set-point deterioration on our 2013 as Phil57 is, but our IR gun (and our ice cream) are both showing a progressive deterioration in performance after two-and-a half seasons.

If you can recommend a Dometic dealership (other than a dealer or Camping World, who are both sales-oriented), I'd appreciate it. We are looking longingly at a left-over Anthem, but that is not going to happen.

As an alternative, I am considering a residential upgrade. If can ever figure out how to get at the Dometic unit (how to remove the wooden paneling around it without damaging the adjoining woodwork too badly), and find a make and model replacement that will work, I'll probably spring for that. Also, new (and taller) AGM batteries.

Also, there is the problem Hank pointed out - how to pipe the heat exhaust out of the bus; the Dometic sheds it heat out the back next to the external vents in the slide, and the residential units shed the heat at the front bottom, into the interior.

Allen

BTW, don't forget: the bigger inverter needs to also be a pure sine-wave inverter, to prevent motor overheating and shortened operating life of components.

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